Beauty and the Beast's Ewan McGregor Drags Homophobes, Alabama

Let’s face it: there’s been a lot of hoopla surrounding Beauty and the Beast and a certain gay character played by a certain Josh Gad. And it’s starting to get silly.

After the film’s director Bill Condon made one innocuous comment about Gad’s character, Gaston’s bumbling sidekick LeFou, having a “nice, exclusively gay moment” in the film, reactions have been pouring in on all sides.

Beauty and the Beast isn’t even out yet—the scene(s) in question have yet to be revealed—but that hasn’t stopped a huge fuss over what might simply be two men cutting a rug on a ballroom floor.

While increased representation in Disney films is something to appreciate, some people have been flying off the handle in what they deem is “inappropriate” for a family film, especially a particular drive-in movie theater in Alabama.

Despite Condon downplaying the how much LeFou’s sexuality is featured or explored in the film, it hasn’t stopped snap judgements being made.

And now one of the film’s costars—Obi-Wan Kenobi, himself—has spoken on the topic.

While appearing on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Ewan McGregor spoke about the controversy. At first he joked about the commotion surrounding the inclusion of a homosexual character, saying “there’s a lot of gay sex in this [film].”

“And I think if you live anywhere near Alabama, you should not go and see this film,” McGregor added, jokingly. “What would Jesus think?”

As the audience laughed and clapped (at what was maybe a slightly unfair generalization about an entire state, but who's counting?), Colbert clarified the reasons why some people were upset at the film and downplayed the inclusion aspect, but McGregor chimed in to say, “it’s just like, he’s a gay character.”

“It’s 2017, for f**k’s sake,” McGregor added to thunderous applause.

His reaction, and clarification, simply underscores what should be a non-issue. It’s great to have increased representation, and the inclusion of the character doesn’t suddenly make the film pornographic or confusing, contrary to what anyone might thing. It’s not specifically stated, it’s not advertised, except for by the thousands of think pieces and write ups that have come in the wake of Condon’s comments.

It’s just a person in a movie, just like the other people who are in the movie. So quit making a big deal about it and enjoy the remake of Beauty and the Beast, in theaters March 17.

Beauty and the Beast is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within.